Lexie Kamerman was working at the American University in Kabul, helping other young women get an education.
The suicide bombing occurred in a restaurant frequented by westerners in the heart of Kabul in a neighborhood considered one of the capitol's most secure. Ringed by police checkpoints, yet the bomber and two Taliban gunmen were able to get past.
Twenty-one people died. Among them was Chicago native Lexie Kamerman, who was working as a student development specialist at American University in Kabul. Lexie's family Saturday night issued a statement saying Lexie was "an amazing young woman, smart, strong, beautiful, funny, stubborn and kind. And fearless."
Her friends may have been apprehensive, but they knew of her determination to make things better.
Voice of Sherille Lamb "That's what she went to Kabul for," said Sherille Lamb. "She wanted to work at the Laura Bush school for young ladies and help them with their education and inspire them to live their dreams."
Kamerman graduated from Chicago's Latin school then Knox College where he was an all-conference water polo player, later going to work for the collegiate water polo association where friend Ed Haas calls Kamerman "the best of the best."
"She was motivated to make sure everyone was treated equally, everyone got their fair shake," said Ed Haas. "I think the world has lost something that is very tough to replace."
Kamerman's death comes nine months after a car bombing in southern Afghanistan took the life of Anne Smedinghoff, a River Forest native, and United States embassy press officer who was killed while helping deliver books to a school.
Kamerman started last June with American University. She was home for the holidays with family in Chicago, and had returned to Kabul.
In their statement, miss Kamerman's family says, "we can't imagine a moment going forward when she won't be desperately missed."
